Choosing your Bridesmaid Dresses
Finding the perfect look for your bridesmaids dresses can be a difficult task. With today's trends, the options for bridesmaids dresses are endless. You may want everyone in the same dress for a more formal, seamless look; or you may envision each of them choosing their own style in a certain color or pattern. No matter the direction you take, you want your maids to look fabulous, feel beautiful, and be able to dance the night away at your wedding. To help you narrow down your search, we are here to give some tips and tricks to make the process as simple as possible.
Shopping Tips - Before you schedule your Bridesmaids Appointment
We recommend you begin shopping at least 6-8 months before the big day. If you are following our timeline from our article The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Dress Shopping - basically once you choose your dress, the next step is to focus on your wedding party - specifically your bridesmaids. Bridesmaid dresses can take 12-14 weeks to come in, and then alterations may be needed after that. You'll want to plan ahead to give your bridesmaids time to gather funds, choose dresses, and get their sizing right. Your consultant will give a deadline for your wedding party to have dresses ordered by, and they will help you stay on track!
Consider your bridal party members. Each of your bridesmaids have different body shapes and feel most confident in different silhouettes. If you want, ask them if they have any requests or concerns before you start shopping. Like most bridal shops, we typically only have one size of a dress style available for trying on. Not to worry - although that sample dress may not fit properly, we will measure you and suggest a size based on those measurements comparative to the designers size chart. We also take special effort in having a wide size range to try on - even if its a different styled dress. Sometimes a store may suggest sizing up if you’re in between sizes, not a big deal!
Back to planning ahead - we definitely recommend being upfront with the cost of bridesmaid dresses ahead of time. Being a bridesmaid can be expensive, and you want your bridesmaid to have time to save up for their dress if need be. We recommend telling your bridesmaids to budget about $200 for their dress, although pricing may vary.
Purchasing your bridesmaid dresses online can seem tempting, but in reality, dresses always look different in person than online. We always recommend you go for quality over quantity, and choosing a bridal store is the best bet. This way, you can see what the dress will look like on your girls and how it will look next to your dress. If you can't make it into store - we still encourage you to purchase your bridesmaids dresses through a bridal shop. A real person with real experience is always worth it in our book!
The Trending Looks
Matching Bridesmaids
The old faithful - never go out of style - look is the matching bridesmaids. It is still the most common bridal party look and it will get you a chic, cohesive wedding party every single time. You choose 1 bridesmaid gown for your entire party, and each of your bridesmaids will have the same cost. They only need to worry about sizing.
Same Color, Different Styles
Another popular pick for todays bride - you choose a specific color, and fabric and then allow your bridesmaids to select their desired silhouette. This gives your girls a little freedom to select the style they feel most confident in. You will still have a consistent, chic bridal look; but your bridesmaids will get to infuse some of their own personality into their gown.
Mix and Match Bridesmaids
This choice is definitely for our out of the box brides - you need to have some vision to help guide your bridesmaids and pull of this look, but it's a showstopper! You can choose a color palette & then let your bridesmaids choose any style dress in the colors. Or you can choose a single style, and let your bridesmaids choose which color they prefer from the color palette! If you do this trend right, you'll have some seriously cool pictures on your wedding day. Tips for this look: Gift your bridesmaids jewelry to wear on wedding day, have them wear similar shoes, or choose similar hairstyles to keep a more uniformed look with your 'maids!
Other Trends to Mention
Fabrics - Don't want the typical chiffon bridesmaid dresses? Opt for sequins, velvet, or even silk/satin. Statement making bridesmaids dresses are never too much in a bridal party made for standing out.
Short Dresses - Perfect for the summertime beach wedding when it's just so hot, or an informal wedding where you want everyone to feel casual and fun. Short bridesmaid dresses fit the bill, and provide an easy breezy style for your girls.
Here at Diane's Formal Affair
We carry two designer bridesmaid collection in store - Morilee Maids & Christina Wu Celebrations. Both collections have styles, colors, and fabrics available for you to make your bridal party look exactly how you envision it on your special day. Need some guidance? Our consultants are highly trained and will help you achieve the look you desire. Long distance bridesmaids? Don't Fret! We are trained to guide your bridesmaids to their correct size and style by phone and can even ship the dress once it arrives to us!
Your wedding party is a reflection of you on your special day, so while you want them to be comfortable and confident, the final decision is up to you! No matter what trend you choose, we are ready to help your vision come to life at Diane's Formal Affair.
Go ahead and Book your Bridesmaids Appointment today. We can't wait to see you and your bridal party!